Copper brazing compositions



Patented Aug. 5, 1952 s PATENT OFFICE COPPER BRAZING COMPOSITIONS joins G. Kllnker, Griffith, Ind., asslgnor to The Glldden Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corpora- 1 tion of Ohio No Drawing. Application April 15, 1950,

' Serial No. 156,236

' 17 Claims. 1

This invention relates tocopperbrazing compositions especially adapted for use in furnace brazing operations and mother copper brazing and soldering operations. to supply the metallic material whichunites the parts to be joined.

Furnace brazing is an art which has now been practiced for well over a decade, the term furnace brazing? being understood to refer to a furnace process in which an assembly of close-fitting parts (usually of ferrous metal) is heated in a reducing atmosphere to temperatures slightly above the melting point of copper. Metallic copper is positioned in or around the joints to be brazed, such positioning being done before the assembly is put in the furnace. When the assembly reaches and slightly surpasses the meltmg point of copper, the pre-positioned metallic copper melts andis drawn by capillary attraction into the close-fitting joint, thereby makin astrong, sound brazed joint. In the past, the pro-positioned metallic copper has been provided on the assembly inlthe form of wire shapes conforming to the shape of the joint tobe brazed, or as copper slugs or shot inserted in a cavity adjacent the joint, or as copper foil shapes, or as pastes of copper powder in a vehicle such as pyroxylin, ordinary machine oil, glycerin, alcohol, water, etc.

j Pastes have many advantages over the wrought and formed sources of copper (foil, wire, slugs, shot, etc.) since pastes can be applied to a joint of 'any shape in any desired quantity, are cheaper than preformed shapes. are easier to apply, eliminate large inventories of preformed copper shapes by permitting the stocking of just one source of copper in place of the numerous shapes, sizes, weights, and types otherwise needed for various assemblies. Despite such advantages, pastes have not been found in the past to be satisfactory. In my copending applications Serial Nos. 107,139 now Patent No. 2,594,313 and 107,- 140, filed July 2'7, 1949, the latter now U. S. Patent No. 2,566,339, I have described improved pastes which offer more complete utilization of the foregoing advantages. 'The present applicationis a. continuation-in-part of these two copending applications. I have now found that further advantages can be imparted to copper brazing pastes by incorporating ferruginous materials therein in relatively small amounts.- The ferruginous materials are adapted to supply finelyfdivided metallic iron when the paste is subjected to copper brazing furnacetemperatures and atmospheres, and such finely-divided iron is instrumental in altering the fluidity or "running" tendencies of the molten copper so as toavoid or minimize the tendency of the molten brazing metal to flow out of or away from the intended joint, while yet not impairing the formation of sound joints by capillarity. Other advantages are also due to the presence of the metal iron, and are described more fully hereinafter.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of .this invention to provide improved copper-iron brazing compositions in the form of pastes.

It is a further object to provide improved copper brazing pastes containing small amounts of ferruginous materials.

Another object is to provide improved copperbrazed joints characterized by the presence therein of undissolved iron particles dispersed through the brazing metal.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention.

I have found that various advantages attend the use of a furnace brazing composition which at copper brazing temperatures and in copperbrazing atmospheres provides a metallic brazing material composed of copper and very finely-divided iron, the iron amounting to between about 0.5% and 12%, and being in the form of particles smaller than about 5 microns diameter. Such a brazing material produces stronger joints, reduces or avoids waste due to running from the joint, permits strong joints to be made even when poor or loose fits are encountered, permits the salvage of assemblies which could not heretofore be brazed satisfactorily; and reduces the amount of brazing metal required per joint.

In the past, when using pure or commercial copper as the brazing metal, it has been customary to proportion the amount of copper as closely as possible to the requirement of each particular joint. In order to secure maximum strength in a brazed joint, it is necessary that there be at least enough copper available to completely fill the joint. The use of more copper than is so required ensures the presence of the required amount, and this expedient has been customary in the past. However, the excess copper has a' tendency to run from the joint to any lower adjacent part of the assembly, and this tendency frequently results in having brazed assemblies which carry brazing copper in undesired locations. For example, in brazing wire screens the copper tends to blind some of the screen openings disposed in the vicinity of the brazed joint. Frequently the excess copper may run on brazed machine parts to areas on which it cannot be tolerated, as for example, to an area which is to be carburized subsequently, and in such instances the copper must be ground on" or otherwise removed; otherwise the brazed assembly must be scrapped. In other instances a completely filled joint is desired, and a fillet 5 around thejoint is also desired. When enough extra copper is added to form the fillet, .there is the attendant risk of its running to some other portion of the assembly. Accordingl it will be understood that the tendency of the molten 0 copper to run from the joint creates numerous operating diniculties. Occasionally the parts of an intended assembly do not have dimensions which provide the close fit normally sought in joints intendedto 15.

be furnace brazed. If the fit is too poor, thei assembly cannot be successfully brazed, either because the copper is not drawn by capillarity 'in-. x to the joint, or because the copper runs through the joint and out the bottom. Frequently such poorly-fitting partsm'ustbe scrapped; 7

Sometimes the poor. fitis not discovereduntil after the assembly has passed through the braz ing furnace. Then the assembly may carry most of the brazing copper in an area away'from the joint. If more copper is added and the assembly is re-brazed; thev situation is merely aggravated. Y 1

I have foundthat difiiculties'of .the typesjust outlined can be largely avoided when small amounts of finely-divided iron are, disposed, in the vicinity of the intended brazedjoint at least by the time: the melting point of the copper is reached, so as to become dispersed in the copper when the latter becomesjmolten; The presence of the finely-divided iron in sufiicient amounts at this critical time alters or even avoids the running tendency of the molten copper. Perhaps the explanation of this observation is that the iron mechanicall impedes the flowing 40 copper; or that by supplying; additional ironcopper interfaces it decreases the apparent fluidity of the copper, orperhaps both efiects occur simultaneouslywith others. Whatever the explanation may be- I..have found that, as the amount of finely-divided iron is increasedin pro.- portion to the. copper,;the less is the observed flowing or running tendency of the molten copper. When about 12%. of iron is present, with 88% of copper, theresulting brazing metalis substantially non-fiuid, or at leaston the finished assemblyevidences no tendency of having flowed away from its applied position. As the amount of iron is decreased, the running tendency of the copper is impeded less. At least about .5% of iron (balance copper) is. needed to show any noticeable reduction in the running tendency.

I have found that for some types of work, about 1% of iron avoids the difficulties resulting from running. On other types of work, 2% to, 4% may be needed. In more extreme cases, 6% may be needed, and as indicated above, if no running whatever is wanted, then 12% may be used. Accordingly it will be understood that the amount of iron ma be proportionedin accordance with ones particular needs. I generally prefer to' use at least 1% of iron in my pastes.

When as little as 0.5% of finely-divided iron is used, I have found that the'strength of a brazed joint is increased appreciably .over the strength obtained therein by usin pure or commercial copper as the sole brazing metal. It is, of course, knownthatsmall amounts of iron may be dissolved in molten copper and that such alloyed copper is somewhat improved in tensile my brazing material produces.

strength (Hanson and Ford, Jour. Inst. of Metals, vol. 32, pp. 335-62) Perhaps it is this effect that causes the noted increase in joint strength or perhaps the improved joint strength is due to the better filleting action of my brazing material, or to improvedstrength resulting from the mere mechanical aspects of the aggregate of finely-divided iron dispersed in solid brazing metal which I am not certain what the true explanation is, but it is clear from tests I have made that the joint strength is increased b having my indicated small amounts of finely-divided iron available at an intended joint along with molten copper. I have alsojound that when suitable amounts of finely-divided iron within the range indicated above are used at intended joints, strong and soundijoints may be made even though the parts of the assembly have a poor or loose fit. My in vention accordingly makes it possible to-salvage assembliesf which heretofore would have been scrapped. The finelyrdivided iron appears to induce the molten copperitobr'idge' a wider gap than ordinarily, thereby to braze loose-fltting parts together." Adifierent afc'tio'n seems to be involved in the case. of the. fbliiidixig'? of brazed wire screening, however, since here the finely-' divided iron prevents s'uch blindingprobably by reducing the running tendency.

:My invention-also makes it possible to reduce the amount of. brazingme'tal per joint,.espec1all'y inassemblies to whichthebrazing composition is applied b spraying, brushingor dipping. In

some instances of .this kind,.savings, in copper of up to one-halihavebeen observed. The finelydivided iron appears to improve the efiectlveness of the copper to such an extent that a sound joint can be made with appreciably lesstotal copper. H

The finely-divided'iron may be made available at the intended joint in various ways. Thus the invention maybe practiced by preparing brazing pastes which containeither metallic iron powder or reducible iron compounds orboth in combination with metallic copper powder or reducible copper compounds or both. I especially prefer to use a paste which contains a mixture of copper oxides and iron oxides adapted to supply, the desired. proportions of. copper and iron when reducedinthe brazing furnace. The use of reducible oxides, saltsv or other 'compounds'makes it readilyf possible to liberate the metallic components in av finely-divided condition. The iron particles should always be of a fineness below about 5'm'icrons in diameter but the copper particles may be appreciably 'coarser, as for example, finer than about 20 mesh Practically any liquid which at normaltemperatures does not attack or corrode the metal. assemblies may serve as a vehicle to-form such mixtures into pastes. Water, alcohols, glycerine, gl'ycols, mineral oil, petroleum jelly, greases, organic glues such as fish glue, organic adhesivese. g.,.py-roxylin, etc., may be used, although some of suchvehicles may be subject toone or more of. the defectswhichI have described at length in. my copending applications, supra, andto avoid such defects I prefer to preparepastes in accordance withthe. principles set forth in those applications, using gel vehicles orcarriers which leave little or substantially noresidue on the finished work. Accordinglyll may; use natural or. synthetic hydrocarbon els-oflow Conradson residue or aqueous gels of organic materials having-low Conradson residues, and I may include an oxidizing agent which is 51 eflective in scavenging'some or, all of the carbonaceou's residues left on the work when such organic materials have been decomposed by the temperatures and atmospheres of the brazing furnace; I may also include fluxes which are efl'ectivein causing the finely-divided particles of copper towet each other and to wet the terrous or other metals of the joint'which is to be brazed. Organic film-forming materials may also beincludedifor the purposes mentioned in those applications. These aspects are all amply described in the said copending applications.

The following, examples illustratevarious embodiments of my invention.

. Example 1' j A brazing paste was prepared by mixing together 1 part of ferric oxide (analyzing about 70% iron) which hadbeen pulverized to particles smaller than 3 microns diameter, 9 parts of copper powder in particles finer than 325 mesh, and 1 part of ,water. The paste was applied to assemblies of pressed steel parts and the assemblies were brazed in a conventional brazing furnace. The paste served to prepare strong, brazed joints which exhibited moderately heavy fillets in angle joints. and little running" tendency on the part of the brazing metal. V

. Example 2 Ea'ample 3 A brazing paste was prepared by thoroughly blending together 1 part of minus 3- micron reduced iron powder, 9 parts of minus 325 mesh copper powder, and 1 part of glycerin. When assemblies of steel parts were brazed with the paste, they exhibited very little running tendency on the part of the brazing metal.

Example 4 Five gallons of a hydrocarbon-gel brazing paste were prepared from the following ingredients:

Cuprous oxide (minus 325 mesh) lbs 107 Syntheticpolymeric hydrocarbon oil lbs '7 Synthetic polymeric hydrocarbon petrolatum lbs '7 Iron oxide: (70% iron) (minus 3 micron) lbs 5 Boric acid- -oz 9 Borax oz 9 Potassium nitrate oz 18 Water oz 56 Petroleum sulfonate (wetting agent) ..oz 2 Anti-spattering agent oz 2 The synthetic hydrocarbon oil is a product of commerce derived from petroleum, and has the following general properties:

A?! gravity 25-30 Flash F 270-300 Fire F 310 -340 Viscosity (73. U. at 100 F.) seconds' 55-65 Conradson 1 residue" per cent- Sayboit'UJiiversaL.

6, The synthetic hydrocarbon petrolatum-is a productorcommerce derived from petroleum,"an d has the following properties: h

I ..'.A pprox.' 330 APT gravity 1 Saybolt Universal.

Conradson residue- Approx. 0.19

The anti-spattering agent may be any of the many agents used'for anti spattering purposes in margarines and'similar oil-water emulsions, although it does not here need to be of edible grade. The -material known 'c'ommercially as Emargol (a product ;of the Emulsol Corp, 'Chicago', Illinois) i is an exampl'e of an an'ti-'spatterir'ig' agent suitable for use in the above formulation. It is composed essentially of sodium salts of sulfoacetate derivatives of monoand di-glycerides. Such and related anti-spattering' agents are described in U. S. Patent No. 1,917,255, issued July 11, 1933 to Benjamin B. Harris. I

The foregoing ingredients are combined in the following manner to produce a paste which yields a brazing metal composed of about 4% iron, balance copper.' The synthetic hydrocarbon oil andsynthetic petrolatum are mixed together for approximately 30 minutes to ensure homogeneity, after which the iron oxide is added and mixed in by continued stirring for about 10' minutes. The boric acid, borax', potassium nitrate and wetting agent are dissolved in the water and the resulting solution is then stirred into the oil-iron oxide dispersion. The whole mass is mixed well 'for another 10 minutes, after which the antispattering agent and the cuprous oxide are stirred in. The mass is then well mixed for about 30 minutes and screened through a 325 mesh screen. The screened product is ready for use.

It will be understood that a thermally-depolymerizable, low Conradson-residue vehicle is employed here to minimize the deposition of carbon on the brazed work, and that potassium nitrate is included to act as a scavenger for the small amount of carbon which might otherwise be deposited. The principles on which the formulation is based, are set forth in' my copending applicatiori Serial No.10'7,139.*

This paste is non-settling and may be applied to the work by ejecting it from an applicator, and produces substantially carbon-free, sound, brazed joints between the parts of the work when the latter are furnace brazed at about 2050 F; in an atmosphere of cracked ammonia, hydrogen, or mixtures of hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Example 5 Five gallons of an aqua-gel type of brazing paste were prepared from the following ingredients:

The ethylene glycol, sodium alginate and water (which is hot) are' mixed with fast agitation for about 2' hours, then the iron oxide is added and mixed for '15 minutes, their the cuprous oxide is minutes, after which thewetting agent is-added' and mixed in by stirringfor an additional 15 minutes. The paste is then screened through a 325 mesh} sieve and after screeningis ready for use. Thefresulting'paste is non-settling and maybe applitzdtothe work byejecting'from'a pistontype applicator? 'It'yields a' brazing'metalcomposed of "about"1'2%"of'iron' and'j88% of copperwhen it is reduced in brazing-furnace atmos pheres and at brazing-furnace temperatures. The resulting; brazin metal exhibits practically norunning tende myiandis. used in special ins stances where such characteristic is desired, The paste is also, usefulv as a; master, paste. which can be; blended ith-,thetn stes of; Examples. 6 and- 7. so. blended with-the;paste: of Example; 6 in various; proportions, a paste of any desired iron content 1, between about. 1 and;;12 can be prepared; above p ste or any of, the; blended pastes may bethinned to desired consistency with wateror ethylene. glycol. s

, 'Ihe-pasteof Example 5'is especially useful for spot or tack brazing, such aswhere two sheets of metal are held together in lapped position by a series of small brazed;spots,janalogoustor spotwelded assemblies, or where a pair of. abutting sheets. are. tacked together at afew points along the joint... The pasteisalso'very useful'in brazing laminatedassembliesa The paste is first thinnedv to a. clipping. consistency with, water or ethylene glycol, ,and thenthe assemblies or their individual partsaredippedinto' it; The. nonrunningcharacteristic of thebrazing metal de--v rived fromthe paste. makes ittpossible .to use much less copper than-would be. needed if only plain copper. were. used. The paste may also be used for building up or restoring work areas of machine parts- In performing-this type of work, however; it is best. to reach the desired thickness by brazing successive. layers. applied alittle at a time. A further use of-thispaste isin salvaging parts which already carrya. quantity of copper. For example; by addinga pastecontaining 12% iron, the resulting brazing metal on the part will "run" less .freely and the part can be satisfactor-ily. brazed over-again to-salvageit Thepaste maybe thinned andinay be sprayed or brushed on to particular areas of.machine-.parts-to. deposit barrier coatings such as are. usedto prevent carburization of those particular areas.

Example 6:

I A pasteswas madei'rom the. following ingredi ents':

Ethylene glycol lbs 10 Water lbs 10 Sodium alginate lb 0.3 Iron oxide lbs 1.7 Cuprous oxide lbs 110 Petroleum sulfonate oz' 4 The ingredients are combined in the manner described in Example 5. The paste produces a brazing'metal composed of about 1 iron, balance copper, and is generally usedin place of the usual coppersupplied in the forms of rings, slugs, electroplate, etc., for production of stronger joints, to save copper, orwhere decreased running is Wanted. This paste. afiords remarkable improvements in joint strength and where strength is the primary, consideration it is, the; paste. I: prefer to use. Further additions to the. iron contentpfithis paste do. not lappreciablyyincrease theistrength characteristics exceptqirrthose special cases where strength is i ncreased byeliminating sharp -.co'rners in'the-joint; Higher iron contents make somewhat/heavier fillets but this paste. gives. much betterfilleting than doesplain copper.

It will be noted that-the vehicle in thispaste and in the pasteof' Example 5. is essentially a jelli'ed ethylene glycol. The ethylene glycol decomposes in the brazing furnace into carbon monoxide andhydrogen, andhence is harmless to Esample 7 A paste' wasv prepared from the. iollowing'ingredients:'

Ethylene glycol lbs 10' Water lbs 10 Sodium alginate lb 0.3 Ironoxide (70% iron) (minus 3 mi cron) lbs 5 Cuprous oxide lbs 107 Petroleum sulfonate 0z 4 The ingredients are mixed in the manner scribed in Example 5.

This paste yields a brazing material composed of about 4% of iron and 96% of copper and is a useful general-purposebrazing paste. The-brazing'material exhibits very little running? tendency and gives. joints of improved strength. By employing this paste, the copper consumption per joint may be reduced as much as one-half while yet making jointswhich are as strong as, or stronger than, those made from plain copper. The paste is well suited for use in brazing assemblies having large joint clearances; that is, poor or loosefits. I

It will be understood that the pastes of my invention canbe used in brazing anyof. the metals or metalloid materials which have heretofore been brazed with copper, such as iron, steel, stainless steel, molybdenum, tungsten, cutting tool carbides and like metallic carbides. It will also be understood that they may be formulated with any suitable liquid carrier which is substantially free of; corrodingyaction on the metals of the pastes and the metals which are to be brazed, and may include such assisting agents as wetting agents, any of 'the.known.fluxing agents or fluxing mixtures, anti-shattering agents, viscosity modifiers, diluents, adhesives, organic film-forming materials. such 'a's "are used in paints and lacquers, anti-freeze agents, thickening agents, etc. Preferably, however, they employ carriers which have gel characteristics, since these. car riers overcome or mitigate the settling tendency of th'e'ironand'copper-yielding components. It is alsopreierable to employ carriers. which have a low Conradson residue andto include in the paste an oxidizing component which is effective in scavenging such carbon as tendsto'be deposited on the work by organic components of the-paste; Suitable oxidizing agents are the alkali-metal nitrates, nitrites, and peroxides and the alkali earth-metal nitrates and peroxides, these oxidizing agents having melting points aboveabout 200 and beingcapable of liberating-oxygen by decomposition at higher temperatures. It willbe understood, however, that this invention is a continuation-in-part of my copending applicationsdealing with the abovei mentioned preferenceabut is distinguished thereiromiin being directed tothe merits.andi advantagesnwhich stem from the .usezior; pastes .whichayield iron-copper brazing metal having between about .I and-12% of iron, balance 'substantiallyall copper.

It should .also. be. understood .that while. it is known that. small amountsv oifz' iron dissolved in copper increase the.,strengthbtfcopper, myv brazing pastes yield brazed joints .wliicbarfcharacterized by improvements other'than the mere increase in-strength resulting from .iron dissolved in copper. thezpastes yield finely-divided iron particles .in'admi'xture with copper-particles in the area around an intended jointpriorto' the time at which the brazin metal becomes liquid. The presence voi such iron particles controls the running characteristics of the liquid copper, assists it in bridging wider gaps than otherwise, improves. the filletingaction, and produces stronger joints by reason of the presence in the brazing metal and in they brazed joints of undissolved iron particles. While some of the iron particles derived from the paste may dissolve in the copper, thereby increasing-the strength of the copper. the improved strength of joints made from my pastes is bellevedto' be due at least in part the undissolved iron particles which are dispersed through the brazing metal; Joints made with mypastes are characterized'by 'containing such dispersed particles.

From what-has now; described, it will be apparent that the invention may be embodied in a wide variety of pasteiormulations, the carrlcr of which maybe selected and modified or 9 not with a view to imparting to the paste those particular physical properties which best suit the particular requirements of the joints which are to be made.

In-the foregoing description of the invention, I have mentioned Conradson residue values in various places. The Conradson test is described in the A. S. T. M. Standards, 1946, part III-a, atpage 120, under the A. S. T. M. designation D189-46. The test is commonly applied to petroleum products to measure the extent to which such materials crack to carbon when heated under the conditions 01' the test. While most of the residue remaining in the test crucible upon completion of the test is carbon, it will be appreciated that the residue will also contain whatever non-volatile inorganic materials were present in the test sample. Accordingly, the test serves as a basis for the evaluation of materials as to the 1 total quantity oi non-volatile residue which the material will leave when heated under conditions simulating those of the Conradson test.

Having now described the invention, what I claim is:

1. A composition of matter particularly adapted for use as a brazing paste in furnace-brazing and like operations, said composition comprising the following essential components: a maior quantitv of cupreous material selected from the group consisting of copper powder and powdered compounds of copper reducible to copper powder; a minor quantity of ferruginous material selected from the class consisting of iron powder and powdered compounds of iron reducible to iron powder, the total available metallic iron content 01 said ferruginous material amounting to between about 0.5% and 12% of the total available metallic copper content of said cupreous material, and the particle size of said ferruginous material being below about 5microns; anda minor quantity of a non corrosive, non-metallic, thermallyevanescent plasticity-imparting carrier V component intimately mixed with said cupreous and ferruginous materials and-making a paste therewith, said composition ofgmatter being characterized by yielding molten brazing coppephaving .less tendency to run on the work than does molten brazing copper derived from the compositionwhen the ferruginous material the iS Omitted. ff 1 a j 2. A composition as'claimed inclaim 1 wherein thecupreous: materials, is-,;composed of copper oxides;, and wherein thfi ferruginqus material is composed of iron'oxides proportioned to yieldbetween about :l andv l2 pi -iron by. weightcf the available copper in the copper oxides. I

. 3. A compositionasv'claimed in'claim Zwhich includes a small amount of fluxing material.

v4. A compositionvas,claimed ingclaimj which includes aismallamount of organiofilm forming material.- jr- :1

: 5. A-composition of mattergparhcularly epdapted for .use: as a brazing; paste in fur;naeebrazing and like ioperetions;said composition comprising essentially a; major? quantity; of cupreous -material selected from the group consistingqf copper powder-and powdered compounds of copper reducible to, copperppwderq aminor quantity of ferruginous material selected from -the class consisting, of iron-powder and-powdered compounds of 'iron reducible .to iron powder the totalavailable metallic iron'j-content of saidierruginous material amounting ;to between about 0.5 and 12% of the total available metallic copper, content of said cupreous material; and theparticle size of said ferruginous materialpeing less than about 5 microns; and a minoruantity of a thermally-evanescent plasticity-imparting gelled carrier component intimately m xed with said cupreous and ferruginous materials and making a paste therewith said carrier component giving a Conradson residue below about .5% and being composed essentially of a liquid component and an organic gel-forming material, said composition being characterized by yielding molten brazing copper having less tendency to run on the work than does molten brazing copper derived from the composition when the ferruginous material thereof is omitted.

6. A composition as claimed in claim 5 wherein the total metallic iron content is between about 1% and 12% and wherein the liquid component of said carrier is an organic liquid.

'7. A composition as claimed in claim 5 wherein the liquid component of said carrier is a synthetic heat-depolymerizable hydrocarbon polymer, and wherein the organic gel-forming material is a synthetic heat-depolymerizable hydrocarbon gel.

8. A composition as claimed in claim '7 wherein the total available metallic iron content of said ferruginous material is between about 1% and 12 of the total available metallic copper content of said cupreous material.

9. A composition as claimed in claim 5 wherein the liquid com onent of said carrier is composed of water and ethylene glycol.

10. A composition as claimed in claim 9 where in the organic gel-forming material is alkalimetal alginate.

11. A composition as claimed in claim 10 wherein the total available iron content of said ferruginous material is between about 1% and 12% of the total available copper content of said cupreous materials.

12. Acomposition of matterparticularly adapted for use as a'brazing paste in furnace-brazing and like operations, said composition comprising essentially: a major quantityof cupreous material selected from the group consisting of copper powder and powderedcompounds of copper reducible to copper powder; a minor quantity of ferruginous material selected from the-class consisting of iron powder and powdered compounds of iron reducible to -iron powder, the total available metallic iron content of said ferruginous material amounting to between about 015% and 12 of the total available'metallic coppertcontent of said c'upreous'material, and the particlesize of said ferruginous material beingless than about 5 microns; a minor quantity of a thermallyevanescent plasticity-imparting 'ge'lled carrier component intimately mixed with said cupreous and ferrug'inous materials and :making a paste therewith, said carrier component giving a Conradson residue below about 5% and b'eingcomposed of a liquid component and an organic gel-forming material; and a :small 2amounto1 an when the ferrug inous material thereofis omitted.

13. A composition as claimed in claim '12 wherein the liquid component of 'said carrier is an organic liquid.

.forming :material.

.G. FKLINKER.

REFERENCES CITED The 'following references are of record in *the fiieo'f this patent:

UNITED (STATES .PATEN'VI'S Number Name "Date 780,128 Reynolds Jam-17; 1905 804,664 cheisel .Nov. 14,- 1905 829,155 Hopper .--Aug. '21, .1906

1,793,157 Chapin Feb. 17, 1931 1,927,626 Calkins :Sept. 19, .1933 2,060,959 Terry Nov. 17,1936 2,401,221 Boume May 28, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date GreatjBritaini. June 25., 1903 

1. A COMPOSITION OF MATTER PARTICULARLY ADAPTED FOR USE AS A BRAZING PASTE IN FURNACE-BRAZING AND LIKE OPERATIONS, SAID COMPOSITION COMPRISING THE FOLLOWING ESSENTIAL COMPONENTS: A MAJOR QUANTITY OF CUPREOUS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF COPPER POWDER AND POWDERED COMPOUNDS OF COPPER REDUCIBLE TO COPPER POWDER; A MINOR QUANTITY OF FERRUGINOUS MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE CLASS CONSISTING OF IRON POWDER AND POWDERED COMPOUNDS OF IRON REDUCIBLE TO IRON POWDER THE TOTAL AVAILABLE METALLIC IRON CONTENT OF SAID FERRUGINOUS MATERIAL AMOUNTING TO BETWEEN ABOUT 0.5% AND 12% OF THE TOTAL AVAIBLE METALLIC COPPER CONTENT OF SAID CUPEROUS MATERIAL AND THE PARTICLE SIZE OF SAID FERRUGINOUS MATERIAL BEING BELOW ABOUT 5 MICRONS; AND A MINOR QUANTITY OF A NON-CORROSIVE, NON-METALLIC, THERMALLYEVANESCENT PLASTICITY-IMPARTING CARRIER COMPONENT INTIMATELY MIXED WITH SAID CUPREOUS AND FERRUGINOUS MATERIALS ANS MAKING A PASTE THEREWITH, SAID COMPOSITION OF MATTER BEING CHARACTERIZED BY YIELDING MOLTEN BRAZING COPPER HAVING LESS TENDENCY TO RUN ON THE WORK THAN DOES MOLTEN BRAZING COPPER DERIVED FROM THE COMPOSITION WHEN THE FERRUGINOUS MATERIAL THEREOF IS OMITTED. 